I loved their idea of auctioning off "table songs" sung to individual attendees. Man, there was a lot of talent in that room! Everyone seemed to be in a really giving spirit for a great cause. Everybody wins!

Here's just a sample of photos from this sassy cabaret event

Rachel fits right in with the sparkly ladies.

How cute is Amy? She was handing out kisses all night. Of the chocolate variety, that is. Sorry fellas.

Look out, Sarah! That elf has more than Christmas on his mind!

Amy's rendition of "Santa Baby" had all the necessary flirtiness...and then some.

The voice of an angel!

There was a disco ball hung just behind me, and I had a blast bouncing my flash off it to cast those little blue lights on stage for my pics!

Sunday, December 28, 2008

It's time for another edition of "How I Spent My Christmas Vacation", by Stacey Bode. I was glad to just have a super-chill time with the folks, and I was completely thankful that doing so only took a short car trip versus an airplane. Yay! My sister and her hubby were in town, so it was swell to see them. We totally missed not being around Susie (Matt's mom) and John, but we're going to visit them in Florida as soon as 2009 hits. See ya next year!

One highlight of the holiday was when we were all playing Cranium, and my Dad had to illustrate a movie title clue with his eyes closed (a movie he's never seen). All he had was a squiggle, and Ricardo shouted out "Snakes in the Plane!!". He got it. We call it a Christmas miracle.

Every year, it seems my mom and I get mad at someone who goes out and buys something at the last minute which is the SAME something that someone has already gotten them as a gift. Oh, and it's usually something they've specifically asked for. Does this happen in your family?? The logic escapes me. Well, this year the offender was MY MOM! As if it's not weird enough that I'm buying her video games for Christmas (she's obsessed with the Nintendo DS I got her last year), then she goes and buys one of the games I got her. If I didn't love her so much, I'd strangle her with boughs of holly.

On Christmas day, I went for a walk with dad and Matt. We couldn't believe how warm it was. I did half the walk in BARE FEET! It was surreal how warm the pavement was and that my parents live in a neighborhood that's so clean, I didn't even have to look down as I walked for fear of stepping on broken glass, discarded gum wads, or chicken bones. I miss the city.

After Christmas, we all went to a Thrashers game that Matt was announcing in the arena. Woo hoo! Matt did a super job and it was a great game, even thought we lost. :( It was fun explaining to everyone why the fans shout "Knights!" during the national anthem, and that people were not booing our goalie Hedberg, they were shouting his nickname, "Moose".

My Christmas gift to Matt was tickets to the North Mississippi All Stars concert, which we went to last night. They blues-jam-riffed our faces off!

Here are a few pics of some of the holiday goings-on...

One of my favorite new family traditions...Christmas Eve frozen pizza!

...and hot sauce, of course.

This is how gifts from my mom look. There's a reason why I didn't take photos of gifts I wrapped. Think the opposite of this.

The mini tree is now the only tree.

Here's Matt making me wish that I had a large book with a giant picture of Richard Burton on the front.

My artsy interpretation of the 2008 Marietta Christmas Eve downpour.

The fam!

Now for the loot! Matt got me TWO sweet photo books. I luvs me some Annie L!And I luvs me some Matt.

Actual coffee bought in actual Costa Rica. Yum!

This smells so good, it should be called "Angel Farts". Uh, sorry.

What could be better than gift cards to two places that I can NOT enter without dropping way too much money?

This little contraption will make me even more crafty...or at least crafty with less embarrassment. Two unexpected symptoms of getting older are the inability to spell and the inability to cut a straight line.

My sister understands my shoe obsession. I actually have a pair like this one, but in black. Aw yeah.

My mom understands my obsession with shiny clutches. Mom, next year could you please have something for me to pose items on other than wicker? Thanks.

Everybody's trying to steal my gig. During these economic hardships, the last thing I need is more competition. I give up!

What a fantastic holiday! I hope you had a wonderful one, and I'd like to wish a very big Happy 2009 to everybody!!!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

It was so great to see Heather, Bill, and Alex again! Wow, you don't realize how significantly a year can change things until you see how much little kiddos grow up in that amount of time. Alex was so tiny last year!

I met up with the lovely Pequignot family at Kennesaw Mountain Park for some late autumn photos. It ended up being REALLY cold, and sweet Alex was such a trooper. We were able to snap some fun pics before we were like, "let's get this fella back to where there's heat!".

Sunday, December 21, 2008

For a potential project, I needed to put together a little slideshow of some candid shots of families and kiddos. I'm really glad to have had a reason to do so because looking through the images brought back many beautiful memories of people who have affected me in such a positive way. I'm extremely lucky to be able to work in situations that don't just allow an outpouring of emotions, they downright encourage it. Not many folks would be glad to have a job that makes them cry, but I love that I get choked up when a father dances with his daughter at her wedding, or when I watch a couple gently holding their newborn. Wearing my heart on my sleeve is a huge part of my photography,so I will continue to wear it there and remember to pack plenty of tissues in my camera bag.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Matt and I don't have a tree up, or stockings hung by the chimney with care, or even egg nog in the fridge. What we DO have is an "ode to Tom Waits" holiday tune that we recorded in our dining room. Yay! That was on your wish list, right?

We hope you enjoy it. Tom, we are very, very sorry.We love you.By the way, that's Matt Stanton on vocals, and yours truly on piano.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

I have reaffirmed the fact that I belong BEHIND a camera and never, ever in front of it. I wish that all those episodes of America's Next Top Model had paid off, and that I could have some semblance of natural flair when posing for photos. However, as soon as I see a camera aimed my way, my face gets a severe case of ADD, and I turn into a bad, one-woman vaudeville act.

Yesterday, I had to drag Matt out to shoot some quick headshots of me. I needed to submit my photo and some info in the hopes of being involved with a new photography TV show. I'll keep you posted (fingers crossed!).

Matt could probably tell you a few stories of when he has defied death or at least serious bodily harm. None of these stories involve bravery equal to that required for him to take my picture. When he'd show me images on the LCD, I kept saying " is THAT really what I look like??!!". I mean, I know I don't exactly have bee-stung lips, but I wasn't aware that they are nonexistent. This isn't just typical self-deprecation. I am actually wondering how I am able to effectively drink through a straw. I may also change my Christmas wish list to nothing but gift certificates for spray tans.

Anyway, I'd like to give a HUGE shout-out to all the wonderful people I've had the privilege to photograph. I have a new appreciation for how completely cool you are.

Here are a few shots from my blooper reel (most of them are in this category)...